Target: A Circle of Justice Novel

by L. P. Dover

  “What do you want now?” he murmured, poised like a lion, ready to attack. “I need to hear it.”

  “I want you, Wade. I don’t know what it’ll mean for us, but . . .” I shrugged, not caring about the future. I could only think of the here and now.

  Hunger flared in his blue gaze. “That’s all I’ve been waiting to hear,” he growled, taking a predatory step forward. His eagerness made me giddy.

  Closing the distance, I ran a finger over his lips. Leaning in, I nipped his chin, before whispering, “You’ll have to catch me first.” I turned and dashed across the great room, narrowly missing his arms reaching out to grab me. Turning to see the shock on his face, I squealed in delight when he took off after me.

  Not having planned this, nor knowing the layout of his home, I was easily caught from behind as I neared the French doors leading out to the ocean front. He spun me around, hands cupping my ass as he lifted me in his arms, continuing forward until my back came up against the door.

  My breaths came out in rapid pants as he covered my mouth with his. I knew the chase had turned him on, when I felt his rock-hard arousal pushing against my center. I rested my head against the door and moaned as his mouth moved down to my neck.

  He spoke against my skin. “I’ve always wanted you.”

  “Then show me.” I squeezed my legs around his hips, pulling him into me.

  Wade’s eyes sparked, and he lifted my shirt and unclasped my bra, freeing my breasts. I gasped when he closed his lips over my nipple, sucking it between his teeth. I grabbed onto his shoulders and everything inside of me tightened. Working myself over his erection, I pushed my chest out, wanting it all.

  “Ah fuck,” he moaned, biting down on my breast. “Hold on tight.”

  He carried me through the house, and it wasn’t fast enough. All I wanted was to feel him inside of me. When we got to the bedroom, he unlatched my legs and kept his gaze on mine as he unbuttoned my jeans and slid them to the floor. I stepped out of them and he pushed me onto the bed. He ripped his shirt off and I watched as he walked to the bed. The anticipation was torture.

  Bending over, he brought his mouth down over my clit, then dipped his tongue inside me as he fumbled with his belt. Sucking and licking, he worked me over until he freed himself.

  I slid further back on the bed and he crawled over me, his arousal aligning with my opening as he spread me apart. When he pushed himself inside, I cried out and dug my nails into his back, relishing the feel of him stretching me wide. His thrusts grew hard and fast. I was so close to the edge, I was about to explode.

  He trailed his lips to my neck and bit down, his fingers digging in to my hips. “You feel so fucking good.”

  I rocked my hips against his and cried out as my release exploded through every nerve in my body. Wade followed closely behind, grunting as his cock pulsated inside me. My whole body trembled and I ached for more.

  Still connected, he rested on his elbows and gazed down at me, his body still hard inside mine. “You do know we’re not done, right?”

  “I can tell.” I laughed, leaning up to kiss him. “Are you sure this is what you want?”

  He brushed the hair off my face and kissed me. “I never stopped wanting you, Brina. It killed me not being able to touch you, to make you mine.”

  “Why didn’t you?”

  “Because I needed you to come to me, to make your own choice. I didn’t want to take advantage of the situation.”

  I caressed his cheek. “Like I did?”

  “Exactly.” His lips pulled back into a smile. “Although, I’m glad you did.”

  “What happens now?”

  He pushed inside me and I gasped. “I’m going to take what’s mine.”

  Wade

  “Oh my God, it’s packed!” Brina shrieked as we pulled into the parking lot of the Malibu Beach Club. “How many attendees are going to be here?”

  A sly smile spread across my face. “You’ll be fine.”

  Groaning, she closed her eyes. Her golden hair hung in waves over her tanned shoulders and she looked sexy as hell in her blue dress, one of her own designs. “Great. That means hundreds. What if everyone hates my designs?”

  I squeezed her hand. “I wouldn’t have agreed to help you if I thought they would.”

  She leaned over and kissed me, her lips tasting like the strawberries she just ate. I wanted more. I didn’t get enough the night before. “Thanks,” she murmured. “I just want this to be perfect.”

  We pulled up to the valet. “It will. Trust me.”

  Once everything was out of the car, the club staff loaded it all up on carts, ready to help us take it inside. But then the organizer of the fashion show walked out to meet us.

  “Mr. Chandler, Ms. Carmichael, it’s such a pleasure to meet you both. I’m Karen Middleton,” she announced, shaking our hands. “I’ll show you around first, then take you to your rooms so you can prepare.”

  We followed her to where the fashion show would take place. The runway was both inside and outside, with hundreds of chairs lined on either side. “This is amazing,” Brina breathed.

  Karen’s grin widened. “Thank you. And just so you know, this is a private event. You don’t have to worry about the media. However, there will be a couple fashion reporters here begging for a story. I know everyone’s dying to know how the first daughter got involved in design.”

  “I’d be happy to,” Brina agreed.

  “If you don’t mind my asking,” I cut in, “will there be any female pro surfers in attendance?” I knew there would be, but I wanted Brina to hear it.

  Karen nodded. “Several, in fact. They come here every year.”

  Brina stared at me awe-struck, and I winked. I had a plan.

  Her phone buzzed with an incoming text and she looked down at it before showing it to me. It was Trinity saying they were a couple of minutes away. “Looks like my crew will be here shortly,” she said to Karen. “Hopefully, you don’t mind if the president crashes the party?”

  Mouth gaping, Karen slapped a hand over her chest. “Seriously? Why didn’t I know about this?”

  “We didn’t want the world to know,” I explained.

  She waved her hands in the air. “No, I get it. That’s perfectly fine. I’m just shocked. I never thought I’d meet the president.” We followed her to the end of the hall, where she opened the door to our rooms. “These are yours. You’ll find refreshments at the bar. When the president arrives, I’ll be sure to escort him down here.” The guys showed up with our carts and carefully pushed them inside our room. When they were done, Karen followed them out. “The show starts in two hours,” she called out excitedly.

  I shut the door and helped Brina hang up her designs. They ranged from bathing suits and T-shirts, to shorts and sundresses. “Why did you ask if any pro-surfers were going to be here?” she questioned.

  I pulled her to me. “Because a lot of them find sponsors at these events. If we can get someone like Jamie Slater interested in working with us, we could sponsor her and have her endorse Endless Summer.”

  “That would be fantastic,” she said with a sigh. “I’d give anything to meet her. If she’s here, I’ll talk to her. Might as well, right?”

  I had no doubt she could get Jamie on board. Sometimes I wondered why Brina even needed my help. She had the drive to do it all herself; she just needed the guidance. A knock sounded on the door and it opened.

  Trinity barged in and smiled when she saw us. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

  Rolling her eyes, Brina stepped away and hugged her. “Ah, I’m so glad you’re here.” Coming in behind her were three of her friends, then the president himself, along with his wife. Brina glared at him, and for the first time, I saw a different side of her. It was darker.

  Trinity’s friends bombarded her, breaking whatever tension was going on between her and her brother. “Come on, girls, you need to get ready,” Brina commanded, trying to hurry them toward the dressing room.
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  Trinity grabbed her arms. “Wait. What are you doing after the show? I thought maybe we could celebrate, while my mom and dad do their thing. It’s not every day I get to spend time with my favorite aunt.”

  “And her gorgeous new boyfriend,” her friend with the bright red hair whispered. I pretended not to hear.

  Holding back a grin, Brina shook her head. “I heard that, Samantha.” She looked at me and lifted her brows. “Do you think they could come over? A dip in the pool would be fun.”

  “It’s fine with me,” I agreed.

  Brina challenged her brother with a stern look and he gave in with a nod. “She can go.”

  “Good. It’s settled,” she said brightly, ushering the girls toward the other room. “It’s time to go.” Renee joined them and they disappeared into the changing room, leaving me alone with Noah.

  “Glad you could make it,” I said, holding out my hand.

  He shook it and grinned. “Wouldn’t miss it. Thanks for giving Brina the opportunity.”

  “She deserves it. Although, I don’t think she needed my help.”

  “To be honest, I’m still shocked about it. She’s never been the type to ask for help.” Chuckling, he sat down on the couch. “Unfortunately, she’s pissed at me, if you couldn’t tell.”

  “I could. She has a fiery temper.”

  “That she does. She’s been that way all her life.”

  “Why is she so angry?” I asked.

  He averted his gaze and shrugged, almost as if he was ashamed. “I’m assuming for not calling her back. I’ve been so busy this week.”

  That was a lie. Something else was going on. I could tell by the way he avoided my stare and clenched his jaw. Not to mention, her cold encounter with him. “If you want to make it up to her, I have a suggestion.”

  “Doubt it’ll work,” he scoffed. “When she gets angry, it sticks. I’m sure you’ll find out, sooner or later.”

  “Believe me, I already know. She pushed me out of a boat the other day.”

  Bursting out with laughter, he shook his head. “Sounds like her. So, what’s this suggestion?”

  I nodded over at the rack of her designs. “How do you feel about making a trip down the runway?”

  Having the president walk down the runway in one of Brina’s designs was the highlight of the show. Everyone swarmed her at the end, including Jamie Slater, the pro-surfer I’d hoped would be there. She’d agreed to endorse Endless Summer. It was just what Brina needed. Now, it was time to celebrate at my house.

  Trinity and her friends rushed out of the car and followed Brina around the side of the house to the pool, leaving me and the secret service agent behind.

  “I don’t think we’ve officially met. I’m Josh Addington,” he said, shutting his car door and holding out his hand.

  I shook it. “Wade Chandler. I take it you’re Trinity’s bodyguard?”

  “Yep. But I’m also really close with Brina.”

  “I see,” I replied curiously. “How close are we talking about?”

  His brows lifted and he laughed. “Not in the way you think. She’s like a sister to me. But Parks wasn’t happy about you two. I overheard him talking to Noah.”

  Fire burned in my veins. “What did he say?”

  He shrugged. “Just that he wanted Noah to talk some sense into her. If you haven’t noticed, Parks doesn’t like to lose.”

  “He’ll have to get the fuck over it,” I growled low. It made me wonder if that was the reason there was tension between Brina and Noah.

  “Pretty sure he already has. It’s obvious Brina’s moved on.” Gaze narrowed, he scanned the perimeter of my house as we walked around to the back. “Looks like you’ve got some high-tech equipment built into your security.”

  I followed his gaze to the cameras. “I do. You should see my guns.”

  His eyes widened. “You have guns. You don’t seem like the type.”

  “I like to hunt,” I replied simply. “Trinity and her friends will be safe here. You have my word. Feel free to move about the grounds. I’ve never had any issues with trespassers.”

  “Good to know.”

  The girls were already in the pool by the time we made it to the back. Wearing only a teal bikini, Brina stood on the side. Taking pictures of the girls with her phone, she dodged the water every time Trinity tried to splash her.

  I couldn’t take my eyes off her. “So you grew up with Brina? Any good stories to tell?”

  Josh snorted. “Do I ever. Just do yourself a favor and don’t piss her off. She’s stronger than she looks.” Brina heard him and shook her head, which only made him laugh. She started toward us and he slapped me on the shoulder. “That’s my cue to go, before I find myself in the pool.”

  She glared at him in passing, but then it turned to a smile. “Smart man,” she called after him. When she focused on me, it took all the control I had not to lay her down and take her on the grass. Her skin glistened, and I could see her nipples poking through her top. I wanted to suck them raw.

  “What’s on your mind, Chandler?” she asked, greeting me with a smug smile.

  “I think you know.”

  She glanced over her shoulder at Trinity and her friends. “They seem happy for now. Want me to help you change out of those clothes? You’re a little overdressed.” She winked and bit her lip.

  I looked down at my suit, knowing very well she could see my dick twitch. “I could use a helping hand.”

  Giggling, she took my arm. “Lexi and my mom were so happy when I called. We have a lot to celebrate tonight. Lexi said as soon as the show was over, we had a spike in internet sales.”

  “I’m not shocked at all,” I said, ushering her into my bedroom and locking the door behind me. “It’ll only increase from there.”

  “It’s just hard to believe it’s happening so fast.” With a huge grin, she set her phone on the dresser. “And Noah strutting down the runway was epic. Thank you for getting him to do it.”

  I pulled her into my arms. “He said you were upset with him, so I told him it’d probably help if he did you a favor.” Her smile faded. “What happened between you two?”

  She shook her head. “Family drama. My brother thinking he knows best.”

  “Nothing about Parks?”

  Sighing, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before opening them. “Chris and Noah are best friends. My brother thinks of him as family, but he knows it’s over between us.” Her fingers slid down to the top button of my shirt. She unbuttoned it and kissed my chest. “There’s nothing he can say or do that’s going to change my mind.”

  “Good to know,” I groaned as she rubbed a hand over my cock. It felt like I was going to explode. “You’re fucking killing me,” I growled.

  She unbuttoned my pants and wrapped her hand around my length. “Just wait.” The next thing I knew, she was on her knees, sliding my pants to the floor. The second her mouth closed over my dick, all I could think about was spreading her wide and fucking her senseless. It felt so goddamn good, especially when she circled her tongue across my tip.

  “Fuck,” I growled, gripping her hair.

  Giggling, she released her lips and I lifted her up, throwing her onto the bed. I loved the way she laughed. It was genuine, not like all the fake women I’d been with my whole life.

  Spreading her legs with my knee, I pushed my arousal against her. “You did amazing out there today. I’m glad it’s all coming together for you.”

  She bit her lip. “Me too. And it’s all because of you.”

  Leaning down, I kissed her neck and made my way down to her breasts. I bit her nipple through her top and she moaned. “I got you the spot in the show. You did all the rest. Soon, you’ll be too busy to leave your store.” The moment I said the words I regretted them. I had yet to think about what it’d be like when she left to go back home to Charleston.

  “Wade,” she whispered, her smile fading. “We need to—”

  I pressed a finger to her
lips, stopping her words. “Not yet.” Before I could untie her bikini bottoms, her phone rang.

  She looked over at it and groaned. “I’ll call them back later.”

  “You sure?”

  She untied one side of her bathing suit, while I got the other. “Positive.”

  Her phone rang again and again. Whoever it was wasn’t going to stop. I slid off her so she could get up. Huffing, she stormed over to her phone, her brows furrowed.

  “Who is it?” I asked.

  “It’s Emmitt, one of my brother’s secret service agents.” She answered the phone, clearly confused. “Emmitt?” I couldn’t hear what was said, but her face turned pale. “Oh my God. I’ll be right there.” She hung up and rushed to her suitcase, grabbing the first thing she could find.

  I buttoned my shirt and pants, wondering what the fuck was going on. “Brina, what’s wrong?”

  Tears streamed down her face and she closed her eyes. “My brother . . . he’s been shot.”

  Brina

  When we arrived at the hospital, there were police cars everywhere, with men guarding the entrance. Wade pulled up to the front and we got out. Josh and Trinity pulled up behind us and hustled to catch up. We were recognized and the men at the doors stood back so we could rush through. Trinity held my hand, trying her best to keep it together. Everyone inside the lobby stared at us in fascination as we ran by. Word of the assassination attempt had spread like wildfire.

  “Will he be okay?” Trinity asked, burying her head in my shoulder.

  Wade and Josh stood behind us, and they looked to me. I didn’t have an answer. “I’m sure he will.”

  “What about my friends?”

  I let her go and grabbed her shoulders. “A couple of agents are on their way to Wade’s to pick them up. They’ll be flying back to Washington D.C. tonight.”

  The elevator doors opened and Emmitt was right there, his green shirt covered in blood. Trinity gasped and slapped a hand over her mouth. “Where is he?” she screamed.